To promote friendship and solidarity with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the Songun Idea

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Noble Life of a Pro-reunification Patriotic Fighter

- On the Occasion of the 40th Death Anniversary of Comrade Cheo Young-Do-

Comrade Cheo Young-do, chairman of the South Jeolla Provincial Committee of the Revolutionary Party for Reunification (RPR, the predecessor of the AINDF), heroically fought to the last moment of his life for the independence and democracy of the south Korean society and the national reunification.

His patriotism was ardent since his childhood, and he absolutely worshiped and warmly respected President Kim Il Sung, the peerless patriot and the benefactor of the national liberation, and devoted his all to the movement of the social revolution and the national reunification true to the President’s lines and policies.

He waged the arduous struggle with the comrades to found a vanguard party taking it as its guidelines the revolutionary ideas and reunification policies of President Kim Il Sung, the sun of the nation, and formed the preparatory committee for founding the RPR in March 1964.

He assumed the responsibility of the chairmanship of the RPR South Jolla Provincial Committee, energetically worked to let the popular masses be conscious and organized, and made great contributions to the building of a vanguard party and the development of the social revolution in south Korea.

He, who was possessed of gifted talents and high enthusiasm, led the people's anti-imperialist and anti-fascist struggle proficiently dealing a telling blow to the colonial fascist rule of US imperialism.

He shouted in the courts; “the revolutionary ideas of General Kim Il Sung are the supreme revolutionary ideology which humankind greeted for the first time, and the beacon that brightly illumines the way ahead of us.

General Kim Il Sung is the sun of the revolution highly standing in the hearts of the nation and mankind", thus appalling the enemies.

Even on the guillotine, he shouted, looking up to the sun of Juche, “as all creatures cannot live under the shade without the sun, we cannot live abandoning the political integrity given by General Kim Il Sung, the sun of the nation,” and left us with smiling.

President Kim Il Sung and respected leader Kim Jong Il felt more grievously than others over the death notice of comrade Cheo Young-do, and saw to it that all the people cherish the memory of him and the title of the DPRK hero and the National Reunification Prize were awarded to him.

- The Solidarity for Realizing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration in south Korea published a New Year resolution on January 5.

Noting that the desire and will of the Korean people for independent reunification promise a new era, the resolution said;

The year 2009 calls on the era and the nation to realize the independent reunification at an earlier date by thoroughly implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.

The united strength of our nation to realize the stable peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean Peninsula is foiling the US strategy of domination and forcefully recording a new history of independent reunification.

The Lee Myung-bak group who does not comprehend the current of the era and history is still totally negating the inter-Korean joint declarations currying favor with the US, and intensifying confrontation and tension with the north.

Only the stern judgment of history will fall on those who despise the people and reign over them.

The solidarity will further activate the struggle to firmly defend and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, and set up a peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula without the US troops.

The June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration are the program for the national reunification as well as a valuable commitment of our nation. We will more dynamically conduct the all-people struggle to firmly defend and implement the declarations together with all people desirous of country’s reunification.

Both the independent reunification and the peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula hinge on the strength and struggle of our nation.

- The Journalist Headquarters of the South Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration in south Korea made public an article on January 2 urging the Lee Myung-bak clique to be positive in implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.

The article mentioned that since the advent of the Lee Myung-bak regime last year the inter-Korean relations that had been favorably developed after the publication of the June 15 joint declaration, got worsened.

It exposed that Lee defiled the inter-Korean declarations, evaded their implementation and unhesitatingly stimulated the north by promoting the north-targeted “Concept Plan 5029” into an “operational plan” and clamoring about the “unification under the liberal democratic system”.

Asserting that the Lee regime is fully responsible for the deterioration of the inter-Korean relations, it stressed that the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration contain the concrete blueprint for the development of the inter-Korean relations, peace and prosperity, so that the majority of the people support them and the international community also values their historical significance.

Group of Traitors Rejecting Implementation of Joint Declarations

The current ruling forces in south Korea have so far piffled openly that they never negated the historic June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, and they respect them.

However, it is nothing but a sophistry to mislead the public opinion at home and abroad. In actuality they have disregarded and rejected the declarations and hindered their implementation tooth and claw.

South Korean minister of unification Kim Ha-joong jabbered in a report reviewing last year’s business that they would adjust the speed, scope and process methods of the development of the inter-Korean relations in keeping pace with the progress of the “north’s nuclear problem”.

It is an undisguised announcement to reject the implementation of the joint declarations, the cornerstone of the development of the inter-Korean relations, under the pretext of the so-called nuclear issue.

The criminal nature of the Lee clique who despises the joint declarations and opposes their implementation was more clearly manifested during the celebration functions of the civic organizations on the 8th publication anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration and the 1st anniversary of the October 4 declaration.

The group of the traitors disparaged the celebration functions and even had the speeches in the celebrations not to mention the achievements gained in the inter-Korean relations after the publication of the June 15 joint declaration.

Worse still, the so-called minister of unification did not take part in the celebration event for the 1st anniversary of the October 4 declaration on the excuse of lack of time, rather he called in a war drill ground for confrontation with the north.

The Lee clique is belittling the significance of the historic June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration and hamstringing their implementation by absurdly mixing them with the past inter-Korean agreements.

The June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration are the supreme program of the nation for reunification that can be compared with nothing for their significance, status and importance.

The Lee group mixed the joint declarations with the past agreements. It is not because it does value the latter but intended to defile the joint declarations far below the agreements and evade their implementation in the long run.

It is unthinkable about any development or vistas of the inter-Korean relations apart from the historic June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.

The Lee group can never evade the responsibility of the crimes that disregarded the joint declarations and hamstringed their implementation, thus pushed the inter-Korean relations to the worst irreversible crisis.

Saturday, 17 January 2009

Marking the World AIDS Day, a reporter from the monthly Korea Today had an interview with Hwang Chol in charge of the State AIDS Examination Centre under the Ministry of Public Health.

Question: I think that AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), having posed a threat to mankind as leprosy in the 20th century, remains a grave menace in the new century as well.

Answer: So it is. AIDS is one of the calamities now sweeping over the world.

In 1981 the first AIDS-infected civilian came into being in the United States among menfolks blind with homosexual love. From that time right up to the year 2007 nearly 33 million people were seized with this fatal disease worldwide. Out of them more than 23 million people lost their lives.

An international AIDS conference held in Mexico in August this year gave warning against the present actual state of AIDS and its seriousness. In 2007 alone two million people or so died of AIDS worldwide, including Africa and Southeast Asia.

A global AIDS control strategy has already been mapped out and a series of measures have been taken, including the setting up of a department specializing in AIDS in the UN in 1995.

Q: How is AIDS prevention work under way in the DPRK?

A: In our country there is no AIDS-infected person yet.

But the grave situation worldwide pertaining to AIDS and particularly the ever-increasing number of AIDS-infected persons in neighbouring countries are making us direct deep attention to this issue.

In taking preventive measures against AIDS our country makes it a strategic principle to further strengthen the work of edification in all fields of social life for a sound cultural and moral way of life; to establish a nationwide effective system for the epidemiological observation of AIDS; and to conduct both prevention and control activities.

Basing ourselves upon this principle, we are carrying on the work for AIDS prevention and control in reliance upon a strategic information system.

The AIDS prevention department was set up at the Central Sanitation and Epidemic Prevention Centre in 1988 and an AIDS check-up department was formed in each provincial sanitation and epidemic prevention centre in 1989. This has resulted in the taking of AIDS check-up and prevention measures. Besides, the AIDS Research Department was organized at the Biology Institute under the Academy of Medical Science and research into AIDS is currently under way there.

Through the people’s hospitals at all levels and clinics as well as hygienic publicity halls and doctors in charge activities concerning AIDS and VD prevention are now being conducted for the inhabitants.

In addition, efforts were chanelled into affording a better understanding of AIDS among the inhabitants by relying on a well-organized hygienic publicity system ranging from the centre to the lowest units.

Greeting the World AIDS Day, hygienic posters were put on display and a publicity contest was held and lectures were given this year, too, as in the past.

Establishing an effective and reliable AIDS observation system is also important.

We have set up a system of work for grasping the actual conditions of AIDS observation in an orderly manner from the centre to the lowest units. In parallel with this, we are spending a great effort making all regions furnished with medical appliances necessary for AIDS check-up step by step, beginning with cities and counties situated in important places, including the border area.

Nor is this all. All blood transfusion organs and units are kept under close epidemiological surveillance and HIV check-up is under way in a thoroughgoing manner in order to prevent the spread of HIV through blood or articles of blood.

At the same time, we are closely cooperating with WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and the Red Cross (the International Red Cross Society) and are further strengthening the activities of the National AIDS Committee which represents all domains of related organs of society, with the main stress put on the domain of public health.

Taking into consideration the potential danger that AIDS may be brought in from abroad in future, we will make vigorous endeavours to bring to realization AIDS prevention and control strategy in order to cope with this.

Wednesday, 7 January 2009

In south Korea October is called a “month of crime” for there have taken place more crimes including murder, violence and robbery in this month with most favorite weather in the year.

According to the data made public by the south Korean puppets on September 14, among the total of 1 836 496 crimes detected by the police in 2007 the portion of October was 9.6 %(176 112 cases) and it is 2 ~ 3% higher than that of the December-February winter period (6.6~7.8%).

In regard to the day of the week most crimes (15.2%) occur on Friday, and 15% on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively and on Sunday it was comparatively lower as 12.1%.

In connection with cities and provinces, Gyeonggi Province assuming 374 596 cases (20.4%), is branded as a more dangerous crime area than Seoul (19.4%)

What merits serious attention is;

- Five main crimes such as murder, theft, violence, robbery and rape are continually augmented.

The five main crimes recorded 487 847 cases in 2005, 489 575 cases in 2006 and 522 084 cases in 2007.

The “Administration and Security Committee of the National Assembly” estimates that far more crimes than that of the statistic figure would take place, if taking into consideration the criminal cases that were not declared for such private accounts as retribution and disgrace.

Though the crimes are increasing drastically, the rate of arrest of criminals does not rise.

In particular, the number of the offenders of high crimes augmented from some 6 200 in 2005 to some 7 800 in 2007, but the rate of arrest decreases annually from 47.6% of 2005 to 35.7% of 2007.

- Drug smuggling and dealing are sharply increasing.

7 154 cases of drug smuggling were detected in 2005, 10 604 cases in 2007 and 8 690 cases as of August 2008, and the circulated money through the drug dealings increased from US$ 54.4 million in 2005 to US$ 52.8 million as of August 2008.

It is estimated that the drug addicts now in south Korea are 100 000 at least and one million at most.

In recent years drug abusers are rapidly increasing due to the drug circulation via internet.

Even in 2004 drug dealings via internet were next to naught but as of August 2008 advertisements of drug exported abroad are openly posted on 16 internet websites.

South Korea has a scarce source of drug manufacture, so the drug price is 10 times more than that of America and 100 times more than that of south East Asian countries, and foreign drugs are in much trade.

- Illegal import of weaponry is increasing.

Of late the ruling “Grand National Party” clarified that the number of exposed cases of illegal import of weaponry has augmented by 8 times in five years; 4 cases were exposed in 2004 but 32 cases as of August 2008.

The amount of weapons exposed was 5 pieces in 2004 and as of August last year 54 pieces, 1 927 live bullets were detected in 2004 and 7 461 in 2007, showing the tendency of steady increase.

Therefore, the puppets clamor that south Korea is reduced to a dangerous zone of terror.

The fact that the crimes are continuously increasing in south Korea is attributed to the fact that the citizens’ ethical consciousness is degenerated and materialism is rampant owing to the deteriorating living, and the international criminal bodies extend their tentacles deep into south Korea .

Meeting Supports Palestinian People's Just CausePyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- A meeting for supporting the just cause of the Palestinian people took place here on Wednesday.

Present at the meeting were Kim Pyong Phal, chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea who is chairman of the DPRK-Palestine Friendship and Solidarity Committee, and officials concerned.

There was a briefing on Israel's recent large-scale military attack on Palestine and its genocide.

Then the meeting issued a statement of the above-said committee.

The statement condemned the Israeli Zionists for persistently perpetrating large-scale barbaric attacks on the Gaza Strip of Palestine defying the international community's strong protest and denunciation.

Recalling that many Palestinians lost their lives and their cradles were reduced to ashes, the statement bitterly denounced Israel's genocide as a crime against humanity, a serious provocation against the Arab people and an undisguised act of torpedoing the Mid-east peace process.

It urged Israel to stop its rash actions and immediately halt all its military actions and respond to the demand of the Arab and other peoples of the world for a comprehensive and fair solution to the Mid-east issue.

The DPRK-Palestine Friendship and Solidarity Committee will always extend full support and solidarity to the Palestinian people in their just cause of taking back the territories occupied by Israel and regaining the legitimate national rights including the right to self-determination, the right to return to their homeland and the right to build an independent state with Kuds as its capital, noted the statement.

Friday, 2 January 2009

Wipe out the US imperialist aggressors,the sworn enemy of the Korean people!PANMUNJOMThe Korean People’s Army Publishing HousePyongyangKaesong PanmunjomP ANMUNJOM is crossed by the Military DemarcationLine drawn by the US imperialist aggressorsto divide Korea artificially. It is a stern court whichindicts their aggression and exposes and condemns theircrimes to the whole world.It was here that the US imperialists, who started an aggressivewar to swallow Korea whole in June 1950, knelt beforethe Korean people and signed the Armistice Agreement. It isalso here that, after the war, they made many apologies fortheir criminal military provocations and hostilities committedagainst the northern half of the country in gross violationof the Armistice Agreement.Panmunjom still remains a stern court indicting the USimperialist aggressors who perpetrate their manoeuvres for anew war, bringing the situation on the Korean peninsula tothe brink of war.Panmunjom is also the venue of dialogues and contactsbetween the north and south of Korea, mutual visits, pannationalrallies for the peace and reunification of the country,international peace conferences for peace and reunificationon the Korean peninsula and other functions.From time immemorial the Korean people are a homogeneousnation who have lived harmoniously on oneand the same territory. More than 40 years have passedsince Korea was liberated. But the resourceful Koreanpeople still remain divided into north and southand are undergoing the suffering of national division owingto the US imperialists’ occupation of south Korea andtheir “two Koreas” plot.National reunification is the greatest desire of the Koreanpeople and their most urgent task.The Korean question must be solved in accordance withthe three principles of national reunification-independence,peaceful reunification and great national unity-laiddown by the great leader President Kim Il Sung.Because of the US imperialists' policy of “strength”,however, the situation on the Korean peninsula has becomeextremely strained and south Korea has turned into adangerous seat of nuclear war where the world’s densestconcentration of nuclear weapons can be found. If a nuclearwar breaks out on the Korean peninsula it will instantlydevelop into a global thermonuclear war.The progressive people and peace-loving forces of theworld are striving to turn the Korean peninsula into a nuclear-free, peace zone and to withdraw nuclear weaponsfrom south Korea.The US imperialists must abandon their anachronisticpolicies for aggression and war and withdraw from southKorea at once, taking with them their aggressive troops andnuclear weapons.Korea must be reunified independently and peacefully atan early date.US imperialist aggressorsland in south Korea in theguise of “liberators”US imperialist troops of aggression training south Korean puppetsoldiers into their cannon fodder for their aggressive war against thenorthern half of KoreaUS imperialist aggressors ship weapons into south Korea to stepHow didPanmunjombecomewhat it is?A US military advisor and thesouth Korean stooges are on thespot to organize the armed inva-Muccio, US ambassador to southKorea, and the chief of the US militaryadvisory group direct the armed inva-Secret messages exchangedbetween the south Koreanpuppets and the US imperialiststo invade the north andD u l l e s ’ s s e c r e t l e t t e rinstigating the puppets toOperational map drawn up by the US imperialist ag-Dulles in a trench on the 38th parallel finally checks up the“march north” plan and instructs the puppets to launch theSouth Korean puppet troops make a surpriseA document containing theproposal for armistice talksmade by the US imperialistaggressors to the north inJune 1951 and US delegatesarriving at the trucetalksThe US imperialist aggressors suffer a disgracefuldefeat in the Korean warThe jeeps flying white flags which the US imperialist aggressorsused when they came atGeneral view of the venue of the truce talksThe US imperialist aggressorssuffered anignominious defeat inThe building used for the truce talks (1951-1953)The building where the Armistice Agreement was signed Interior of the buildingDefeated US general Harrison signs theArmistice Agreement in July 1953A scene from a meeting of the Military Armistice Commission, at which the northindicts the US imperialists to the whole world for their violation of the ArmisticeA witnessindictingthe enemyfor its crimesof militaryprovocationsParagraph 60 of the Armistice Agreement providing for conveninga political conference of both sides and for resolving the KoreanThe chief US delegate walks out of the conference hall after unilaterallybreaking off the preliminary talks for a political conference ofboth sides held at Panmunjom in October 1953US imperialist troops of aggression try to prevent members of theobserver team of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission fromentering their inspection area in south KoreaThe US imperialists unilaterally break off the discussion of the Korean questionat the Geneva Conference, in order to perpetuate Korea’s division (1954)In November 1955 the US imperialist aggressors killed some Polishmembers of the observer team of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commissionwho were acting in south Korea. Photo shows their coffins beingParagraph 13-d of the Armistice AgreementThe US imperialists unilaterallyabrogated Paragraph13-d of the ArmisticeAgreement and introduceinto south Koreavarious up-to-date weaponsand military equip-The US imperialists publish openly that they have no intention to reducetheir armed force in south Korea and that they have introduced nuclearModern guns, warplanes and warships which the US imperialist aggressors introducedinto south Korea after the publication of the north-south joint statementThe US spy planes “RB-47” and “EC-121” shot down while carryingout espionage and hostile acts after illegally intruding into the territo-The wreck of a US plane displayed outside the Panmunjom conferenceUS helicopters and pilots captured while making reconnaissanceflights in the territorial air space of the northEnemy armed spy ships,including the “PCE-56”,are dealt with severely byUS-hired spies caught while carrying out espionage and subversiveacts against the north after the armisticeThe US imperialist troops of aggression hastily leave after their crimes havebeen exposed at a meeting of the joint observer teams of the two sides to theMilitary Armistice Commission, held at the scene of the crimeThe US armed spy ship“Pueblo” captured inJanuary 1968 while carryingout espionage andhostile acts in the territorialwaters of the north, and aThe crew of the “Pueblo” capturedby heroic sailors of theThe apology of the US imperialistsbegging the north toreturn the crew of the The captain of the “Pueblo”On August 18, 1976, the US imperialist troops of aggression deliberatelyprovoked the Panmunjom incidentThe axe and clubs which the US imperialisttroops of aggression used intheir violent actions during the Pan-The US imperialist troops of aggressioncommitted a graveprovocation, cutting down a tree inthe joint security area and destroyingone of our guard post andThe south Korean puppet clique have hindered thenorth-south dialogue, contrary to the burning desire ofthe Korean people for national reunification and theirgreat expectations of the talks. They have committedyet another unpardonable crimeagainst the nation. At the instigation ofthe US imperialists they bui l t a concretewall along the Military Demarcation Lineto divide the country and cut the nationalOverseas Koreans observing the wall of divisionThe US imperialists and thesouth Korean puppets stagethe “Team Spirit” jointmilitary exercise every year,mobilizing vast armed forcesand huge amounts of warequipment, seriously menacingpeace in Korea and therest of the world

The senior member of the north strongly condemns theUS imperialist aggressors for their moves towards a newwar, at a meeting of the Military Armistice CommissionAmerican MPs prevent journalists and visitors fromlooking through the windows into the conferenceThe senior members ofthe enemy side and theirmen in trouble waterThe senior members of the enemy side sign documentsrecognizing their military provocations ofvarious kinds against our side and apologizingabjectly to our side for their crimes, and some ofthese documentsThe senior member and men from the north entering theconference hall of the Military Armistice CommissionInterior of the conferencehall of the MilitaryArmistice CommissionArrogant American MPs standing at Panmunjom,dividing Korea into north and southPanmun HouseA general view of the conference hall of the Military Armistice CommissionThe venue ofreunificationdialogueKaesong citizens give a warm send-off to a delegation fromThe historic July 4 North-South Joint StatementThe 30th session of the UN General Assembly held in 1975 adopted a “resolutionon the Korean question” calling for the dissolution of the UN Command, thewithdrawal of all foreign forces from south Korea and the replacement of the Armi-Part of the relief goods-rice, cloth, cement andmedicines-sent to south Korean flood victimsTrucks loaded with relief goods go tosouth Korea via PanmunjomRed Cross art troupes and home-visiting groups from the northand the south pass through Panmunjom, for the first time in theA delegation from the north to north-south students talks waiting for itsA cross-country march conductedby a delegation from the north tothe north-south students talks ar-Rim Su Gyong, delegate from the National Council of Student Representatives(Jondaehyop) in south Korea to the 13th World Festival ofYouth and Students, crosses the Military Demarcation Line via Panmunjom,in defiance of the unreasonable behaviour of the UnitedStates and the south Korean authorities in trying to block her wayThe Third Pan-National Rally forPeace and Reunificationof the Countryheld at PanmunjomThongil HouseAll the delegates to the Pan-National Rally for Peace and Reunificationof the Country participate in a cultural festival forreunification, a soil-mixing service and a commemorative tree-Participants in the Mt. Paektu-Mt. Halla grand march for the promotion ofnational reunification denounce the US imperialists and the south KoreanThe second grand reunification festival of youth and students in the north, in thesouth and overseas for the independence, peaceful reunification and greatnational unity of Korea and the inaugural ceremony of the Pan-National Federa-Denouncing the US imperialists and the south Korean authorities for blockingthe reunification movement of the Korean people, in front of the PanmunThe preliminary dialogue for north-south high-levelpolitical and military talks held at PanmunjomA women’s delegation from the south to the Third PyongyangSeminar on “Peace in Asia and the Role of Women”arrives in the north side’s portion of PanmunjomWorking contact between delegates from the north and southRed Cross organizations held at PanmunjomThe Seoul traditional musical instrumentalist group coming to attend thePan-National Concert for Reunification passes through PanmunjomRi In Mo, a former war correspondent of the Korean People’s Armyand an unconverted long-term prisoner, who suffered every manner ofhardship in prison in south Korea for 34 years, returns through Panmunjomto the embrace of his socialist motherland after 43 years’ absenceKoreans from the north the south and overseas and foreigners demonstrate atPanmunjom for peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula

London January 1st 2009 Juche 98The Association For the Study of Songun Politics UK and the Juche Idea Study Group ofEngland welcome and support the joint New Year editorial of the Rodong Sinmun,Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi titled Glorify this year as a year of a new revolutionary upsurge sounding the general advance."The editorial correctly states that is better than self reliance and that self reliance is the key to a thriving nation.Self reliance is the best way to prosperity that enables a country to rise by its own efforts and not be dependent on others.Those that are dependent on others will in the long run suffer problems.

The editorial calls for building up key industries and also developing science and technology.The editorial states how the concept of revolutionary upsurge is rooted in the tradition and history of the Korean revolution.A new Chollima upsurge will take place and great earth shaking miracles will unfold.

The editorial also correctly calls for an ideological offensive.

The ASSPUK and JISGE believe that this editorial is a programme for the rapidadvance of the Korean revolution under the uplifted banner of Songun and the inspiredleadership of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il.A great stride towards a greatprosperous powerful socialist nation will be madeWe will urge our members to studyit and call upon world Juche idea and Songun idea followers to study the editorial

Joint New Year Editorial IssuedPyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi Thursday issued a joint editorial titled "Glorify this year as a year of a new revolutionary upsurge sounding the general advance."

The following are excerpts from it:

Hope-filled New Year Juche 98 (2009) that will mark a turning point in the Korean revolution and the building of a great, prosperous and powerful nation has dawned.

The DPRK that has emerged victorious under the banner of Songun has entered an era of a new leap.

Last year Juche 97 (2008) was a year of historic turn which had written a chapter of brilliant victory in the proud 60-year annals of the DPRK.

The Workers' Party of Korea put forward a far-reaching target to open the gate to a thriving nation in 2012 that marks the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung by representing the requirements of the developing revolution and the aspirations of the people and aroused the whole Party, the entire army and all the people to a new general offensive.

Last year the spirit of innovation was fully displayed throughout the country and remarkable achievements that would be etched in the history of the country were made on all fronts of socialist construction.

The sophisticated and seasoned leadership of leader Kim Jong Il is the main source of all victories and miraculous achievements in Songun Korea. Last year, too, he stood in the van of our army and people, wisely leading their efforts to build a powerful nation, by giving full scope to his inexhaustible energy. His idea and theory that illumined radiantly the path to victory of socialism and the DPRK's prosperity were the great inspiring banner that gave the fullest play to the spiritual strength of our army and people. His ceaseless forced march of on-the-spot guidance to the army units and many parts of the country from the outset towards the end of last year was a long journey of patriotic devotion unprecedented in history. The invincibility of the socialist cause of Juche was demonstrated more convincingly in the current of the vibrant times and brilliant victories were brought about on all fronts including the politico-ideological front and the anti-imperialist military

front. This is a demonstration of the extraordinary leadership of Kim Jong Il, a great strategist and peerless statesman.

Last year the dignity and national power of the DPRK that made a great history under the banner of the Juche idea and Songun was fully manifested.

We fully demonstrated through the efforts to adorn the 60th anniversary of the DPRK as a grand festival of victors the invariable faith and will to add brilliance for all eternity to the nation-building exploits of Kim Il Sung who had built a strong socialist country, and bring the revolutionary cause of Juche to completion under the Songun-based leadership of Kim Jong Il.

All the people turned out in hearty response to the Party's militant call and made a dynamic offensive to bring about eye-opening changes in all the sectors.

Technological updating was carried out in the Chollima Steel Complex and many other factories and enterprises in the flames of self-reliance and such major projects as the Ryesonggang Youth Power Station No. 1, Wonsan Youth Power Station and Nyongwon Power Station were completed to build up the technological foundation and production potential of the national economy. Taehongdan and the Migok Cooperative Farm where the Party's intention is becoming a splendid reality clearly show the bright prospects of our socialist countryside.

Pyongyang, the capital of the revolution, was spruced up and the socialist fairyland was unfolded everywhere to change the looks of the country tremendously.

Under the Party's guidance works of national treasure value were produced in the field of literature and the arts and spectacular achievements giving pleasure to the army and people were made in science, education and sports sectors.

The New Year Juche 98 (2009) is a year of a new revolutionary surge, in which all the people should launch a general offensive in response to the Party's call to make a historic leap on all fronts in the building of a prosperous nation.

Kim Jong Il said:

"The whole country and all the people, as in those years of bringing about a great Chollima upsurge after the war, should launch a general offensive dynamically, sounding the advance for opening the gate to a great, prosperous and powerful nation, united closely around the Party with one mind and purpose."

Today we are at a historically important point in accomplishing the Party's revolutionary cause.

The efforts to open the gate to a powerful nation in 2012 that marks the centennial birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung are a worthwhile struggle to inherit the glorious history and traditions of our Party and revolution that started on Mt. Paektu and win an overall victory of Korean-style socialism by building up the national power of Songun Korea on the highest level.

An era of a new great revolutionary surge lies ahead of us. Kim Jong Il kindled the torch of a new revolutionary upsurge in Kangson, the birthplace of the Chollima Movement, on December 24 last year which will shine for ever in the history of Songun Korea. It is such a great event that has brought about a turning point in the development of our Party and revolution as that in December 1956 when Kim Il Sung set the great Chollima Movement in motion. Herein lies our Party's invariable will to build a powerful socialist country that ensures the eternal prosperity of the nation under the blue sky of our country highly dignified with Songun and hand it down to posterity by racing against the time in the spirit and the mettle of having overcome manifold difficulties and built on the war debris a strong country independent in politics, self-supporting in the economy and self-reliant in national defence through a great Chollima upsurge.

"Make the fullest development of Songun Korea by inheriting the great tradition of revolutionary upswing!" - this is the militant slogan that we should hold up.

The whole Party, the entire army and all the people should make a history of effecting a new surge in the 21st century by relying on our ideology and way of working and giving full play to the advantages of the independent socialist economy.

To make a leap forward on all fronts by displaying the indomitable spiritual strength and using all the potentials to the full that we have cultivated and built in the flames of Songun - this is the general orientation we have to follow.

A political and ideological offensive should be launched vigorously to demonstrate the might of ideology, our inexhaustible spiritual strength.

Today's general offensive in the ideological sector is a great campaign to display the might of our socialist idea to maximum by imbuing the whole of society with one ideology at a new, higher level under the banner of the Juche idea and Songun idea.

We should make redoubled efforts to arm the whole Party, the entire army and all the people with the Juche idea and Songun idea in line with the requirements of the present pulsating times. All the Party members and working people should solve all the problems arising in the revolution and construction our own way with the pride and self-confidence of having set the pace for socialist victory by dint of Songun, guided by the great ideology.

The single-minded unity is a main dynamic of our great history of effecting an upsurge and the leader-people-united strength is more powerful than a nuclear weapon. The glorious tradition of engraving an immortal heroic epic by dint of a harmonious whole in which the leader believes in the people and the people trust in and follow their leader absolutely should be inherited firmly. Today's great surge is a struggle to safeguard Kim Jong Il, the destiny of the country, at the cost of our lives and defend and add brilliance to socialism.

We should bring about a new revolutionary upsurge under the banner of guarding the headquarters of the revolution at the cost of our lives like our forefathers who had ushered in a great Chollima era in the post-war rehabilitation shouting the slogan of defending the Party and the leader at the risk of their lives.

The enthusiasm of our people who value the socialist motherland of Juche as their very lives and love it immensely should be displayed to the full. Our people are a strongly patriotic people who adorned the 20th century with miraculous achievements and upswings by taking ten or a hundred steps when others were taking one step; a revolutionary people who have defended socialism in the worst adversity and opened up the way to paradise.

We should redouble our efforts to add glory to the socialist system that is permeated with the desire of the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners and the blood and sweat of heroes of the Chollima era. All the people should join the strong current of the times in high spirits and become the pacesetters in the revolutionary upsurge and patriotic fighters in the Songun era.

We should fully apply the mode of struggle and creation of our style.

Collectivism and self-reliance are our peculiar mode of revolution and nothing is better than this.

We should make it an iron rule to solve all problems on the strength of the collective and by enlisting the inexhaustible wisdom and creativity of the masses. All the posts, units and fields should help and lead one another to kindle the flame of collective innovation.

Self-reliance is our strength and the key to a thriving nation.

We should always base ourselves on the socialist soil, develop our strength and open the route of advance to victory by relying on our resources, technology and the advantages of our system. At any time, in the future as well as the present era of advanced science and technology, we should constantly inherit the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance. We should live and fight in the staunch spirit and self-confidence with which we have defeated any formidable enemy and performed miracles on the debris.

All potentials of the independent socialist economy should be tapped to create the speed of general advance in the Songun era.

Today's upsurge is a fresh general onward movement to put the economy on the stage of rapid development on the strength of the revolutionary soldier spirit and science and technology. We have still myriads of obstacles in the way, but we are sure to win victory in the general offensive for building an economic power as there are the inexhaustible creativity of all the people and the powerful Juche-oriented industry equipped with new technologies.

An important task facing us in the economic construction at present is to push the effort to put production on a normal track and the modernization in close combination by taking advantage of the socialist planned economy, thus surpassing the high-water mark in production in all sectors of the national economy.

We should hold the preferential development of the metal industry as the main point and concentrate efforts on tapping production potentials in the key sectors of the national economy to the full.

The metal industry is the mainstay of our independent socialist economy. It is important to decisively increase the production of iron made by the Juche method and concentratedly supply electricity, fuel and raw materials to metal works, so as to make renovated production processes bring benefits.

Joint innovation should be made in the fields of electric power, coal and rail transport to promote the development of the overall national economy.

The power industry should channel efforts into running thermal power stations at full capacity and inaugurate hydroelectric power stations whose construction is under way as early as possible.

The coal industry should boost production. It is necessary to strengthen material and technological foundations of rail transport and organize and guide transport scrupulously to remarkably raise the railway traffic capacity.

The mining industry should develop promising mines on the principle of bringing profit and the machine-building industry should boost production and accelerate modernization. The chemical industry should increase the production of basic chemical products and accelerate the gasification project at the Namhung Youth Chemical Complex.

A radical turn should be brought about in the efforts to improve the people's living standard.

To relieve scarcity of food is a pressing problem. We should concentrate all efforts on hitting this year's target of grain production with the extraordinary determination to solve food problem by our own efforts in any circumstances.

We should give fuller play to the vitality of the Party's policies of improving the seed, doing double cropping and boosting potato and soya bean output and promote material and technological assistance to the rural community.

The fishery sector should develop the production of aquatic products, the seafood cultivation and fish farming to contribute to improving the people's diet.

Factories, enterprises and locally-run factories in the light industry and all other possible units should tap production potentials to sharply increase consumer goods production and improve commodity supply service to fully satisfy the people's needs for daily necessities.

The housing project in Pyongyang should be pushed audaciously and a radical improvement brought about in city management. It is important to build more structures of lasting value that embody the serve-the-people spirit and that are perfect architecturally. Land development including afforestation should be carried out in a far-sighted way, so as to turn the country into a more beautiful and better place to live in.

Economic management should be improved to give full play to the advantages of the socialist planned economy. The centralized and unified guidance of the state over the economic construction should be strengthened and planning improved in line with the requirements of the developing reality.

It is imperative to take a viewpoint regarding science and technology as the basis of economic development.

The nationwide scientific and technological forces should be concentrated on assiduously solving problems arising in strengthening the independence of the economy and stepping up modernization. Persistent efforts should be made to update production processes and the mass-based technological innovation drive conducted more briskly. Scientists and technicians should pick up projects that are conducive to national prosperity as the seed of their research and positively carry them out to lend wings to today's general advance for a surge.

The fullest development of socialist culture in the Songun era should be maintained.

It is necessary to add shine to the spiritual and cultural treasures created in the past under the leadership of the Party in the Songun era and conduct brisk mass art activities to make the whole country seethe with the revolutionary optimism and militant spirit.

The educational sector should better the content and methods of teaching and improve the qualification of lecturers to make great progress in the education of the younger generation and training of talents and raise the cultural and technological standard of the working people in keeping with the requirements of the IT age. Officials in the health sector should work devotedly for the promotion of the people's health and the production of basic medicine should be increased to give fuller play to the advantages of the socialist health system.

It is necessary to stimulate public interest in the development of sports, make sports mass-based and ensure that sportspersons register good results in every international game.

The might of Songun should be built up in every way to ensure a military guarantee for the building of a thriving socialist nation.

It is a major requirement of the Party's Songun revolutionary line to strengthen the country's overall strength and step up the building of a thriving nation on the basis of the unrivalled military power. We should continue to put utmost efforts to building up the country's military strength in line with the requirements of the prevailing situation and the development of the revolution.

The Korean People's Army is the mainstay and powerful main force of the revolution that supports the Party's Songun leadership in the van.

All military and political work should be aimed at establishing the revolutionary command system and military discipline whereby the entire army acts as one according to the idea, intention, order and instruction of the Supreme Commander.

It is important to speed up the revolutionary transformation of the entire army, ensure firmer unity between officers and men on the basis of comradeship and more closely combine military and political affairs. The KPA should take the lead in strengthening the army-people unity, the pride of Songun Korea, by holding high the slogan "Assist the people!"

The pivotal and pacemaker role of the KPA should be enhanced immensely in kindling the flame of a great surge in the Songun era. The KPA should make a breakthrough in today's general offensive as befits the creators of the revolutionary soldier spirit and be a model for society in all aspects of ideology, spirit, morality and culture.

It takes an uncompromising stand against those who hurt our sovereignty, dignity and socialist system. Our arms charged with class awareness and hatred against the enemy would never tolerate any act of provocation of the enemy but punish it mercilessly.

The habit of giving priority to arms, military affairs, should be established more thoroughly in the whole of society. Great efforts should constantly be put to the development of the defence industry as required by the line of economic construction in the Songun era and everything necessary be provided for it on a preferential basis.

All the people should acquire military knowledge with sincerity and effect a fresh turn in militia buildup this year that marks the 50th anniversary of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards.

Party organizations should further enhance their militant function and role in order to bring about a new great upsurge on all fronts of socialist construction.

Party organizations at all levels should make a turning point in the Party work as in the 1970s when they effected a great surge in all fields, full of emotion and joy of having held Kim Jong Il at the top post of the Party and revolution.

They should thoroughly apply to the Party work the great achievements he made through the Songun-based leadership for nearly half a century and intensify the work to establish the Party's monolithic system of leadership.

They should develop the Three-Revolution Red Flag Movement and launch ambitious information activities to make the revolutionary enthusiasm and spirit displayed during the grand Chollima advance prevail in the country.

All the officials should make thorough preparations and work out detailed plans of their units to make them advance dynamically in the van of great upsurge.

The working class is the maker of proud history of great leap and the main force in the building of an economic power. They should fully demonstrate again the stamina of the Korean working class who have exalted their honour as heroes who open up an era in each phenomenal period of the revolution.

Workers in Kangson should show off the mettle of the vanguard in the Songun era with the revolutionary soldier spirit and Kanggye spirit.

The theatre of the present general offensive is a living stage of the young people.

They should give full play to the heroic spirit of the Korean youth in every labour-consuming site including the construction site of the Paektusan Songun Youth Power Station, with a great ambition and ideal in the period vibrant with great surge.

Youth league organizations should thoroughly prepare all the young people as the reliable youth vanguard of the Party possessed of the spirit of defending the leader with their very lives, unshakeable faith in socialism, a high sense of duty towards the future of the country and noble moral traits.

Organizations of the trade union, agricultural worker's union and women's union should enhance their role decisively to ensure that all their members perform feats in the efforts for the country's prosperity like the standard-bearers in the Chollima era.

The country's reunification is the unanimous aspiration of the fellow countrymen and the supreme and urgent task for the nation.

The national reunification movement which had been advancing vigorously along with the June 15 reunification era faced a grave challenge due to the advent of the conservative authorities in south Korea last year. All the Korean people are indignant and protest at the reckless moves of the south Korean ruling forces that flatly deny the June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration, grand programmes for independent reunification, restore the era of fascist dictatorship and are hell-bent on inter-Korean confrontation.

The anachronistic confrontation policy of the south Korean authorities is on the verge of total failure and the anti-reunification forces are being driven into a tight corner. The aspiration and demand of the fellow countrymen cannot be the plaything of quack politicians who have turned back on the nation and nothing can check the advance of the times towards independent reunification.

The drift of affairs last year shows that national reunification can be accelerated only through the determined struggle against the moves of the partitionist forces inside and outside the country.

We should reenergize the national reunification movement this year under the slogan "Advance dynamically along the road of independent reunification under the banner of the June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration!"

The June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration, the action programme of the former, are the milestone of national reunification. We will never tolerate any slight deviation from the historic inter-Korean declarations. Whoever wants the country's reunification and national prosperity should defend and sincerely implement the declarations.

"By our nation itself" is the fundamental idea to be embodied in the national reunification movement. The June 15 reunification era that turned inter-Korean relations of distrust and confrontation which had persisted for over half a century into those of reconciliation and unity proves that "By our nation itself" is the noble spirit of loving the country and people that accelerates independent reunification, peace and prosperity.

To achieve the country's reunification, it is imperative to take a point of view giving priority to the nation and defending the interests of the nation. All the Korean people should resolutely check and foil the manoeuvres of the anti-reunification forces running counter to the trend of the times towards independent reunification, steeped in pro-U.S. sycophancy and hostility towards the fellow countrymen.

To achieve national reconciliation and unity is an urgent demand of the national reunification movement at present. Neither the development of inter-Korean relations nor the country's reunification can be expected when both sides remain hostile toward each other and the military tension is aggravated. The spirit of reconciliation and cooperation for independent reunification, peace and prosperity should prevail in the whole country and the reunification movement be promoted by the united efforts of the patriotic forces. The south Korean people, under the slogan of independence, democracy and reunification, should make more dynamic efforts to put an end to the fascist rule of the sycophantic and treacherous conservative authorities and remove the danger of war.

The independent foreign policy of our Republic to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and defend peace and security of Northeast Asia and the rest of the world is demonstrating its validity more fully as the days go by. Our Party and government, under the ideal of independence, peace and friendship, will develop relations with the countries friendly towards us and make a positive contribution to achieving the cause of global independence.

In the present world no other country is more politically stable than our Republic whose people are all filled with a great hope, ambition and confidence about the future.

Our cause is the cause of Kim Il Sung, the road we take is the eternal road of Juche, road of Songun, and our strength is the single-minded unity of the entire army and all the people around the leadership of the revolution. What stirs up the hearts of our generation is the historical mission to adorn with great victory of socialism of our style a-hundred-year history of Kim Il Sung's Korea shining with the Juche era.

The ultimate victory is in store for us as long as there are the plan for the bright future worked out by the great Party and the infinite spiritual strength of our army and people who perform miracles by turning out in hearty response to the call of the Party.